


Stones Around the Sun

by Lacrimacorona



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gabe is tired just let him rest, Genji is too clever for all these nerds, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Multi shipping, Suicidal Ideation, Suicide, depictions of violence, jesse is smarter than everyone thinks he is, polyship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-18
Updated: 2016-11-12
Packaged: 2018-08-23 07:26:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 17,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8319070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lacrimacorona/pseuds/Lacrimacorona
Summary: Jack Morrison is dead. With Overwatch in it's death throes, he sacrificed himself to save the falling organization, taking spies and saboteurs with him. Gabriel Reyes is left to pick up the pieces, named Strike commander in Morrison's place, and tasked with dragging Overwatch back up from it's own ashes.
Seven years of victory later, Talon is surging for Overwatch's throat. With it comes a blessing in disguise; a vigilante calling himself Soldier: 76, bringing down double agents and setting ablaze old facilities, protecting Overwatch from the shadows.
Maybe he'll be useful.





	1. Prologue: Lazarus

Here for sure a permanent solution,  
Swallowed up the night.  
A voice so pure giving bones a reason  
_To breathe in again_  


* * *

 

His phone rang , and God damnit he just sat down! Why couldn't they leave him alone for two goddamn minutes? He turned the screen, and the name came like a rage filled bullet.

 

_Jack Morrison calling_

 

Gabriel hit ignore so hard he could have broken his screen, and settled back into his chair.

 

Another ring, _Jack Morrison calling._

 

ignore again. What on earth could that little prick want from him? They hadn't spoken in months in anything but arguments about missions. Jack hadn't _called_ him in what felt like years.

 

One more ring, _Jack Morrison calling._

 

He picked up the phone, “what the hell do you want, Morrison? I'm busy.” He spat.

 

There was a tiny huff of breath on the other line, humorless, “To say goodbye.”

 

Jack's words struck him like a hammer. Suddenly, his heart was attempting to escape his ribs. It pounded against them with a kind of deep terror he hadn’t experienced in a _very_ long time.

 

“Morrison, what the _fuck_ is this about? I’m a little busy for this kind of stupid cryptic bullshit--”

 

“No, I know, I just… needed to tell you, before I go. Probably doesn’t seem like it, after everything i did, but I love you. I never stopped. And I... I know i made a lot of mistakes, but hopefully… Hopefully this fixes at least a few of them. Gabe, take care of everyone for me, alright? I’m sorry, for everything.”

 

“ _Morri--”_

 

“I love you, Gabe”

 

Gabe heard a tiny _ping._ The activation switch of a remote detonator, he would recognize that sound anywhere. Then the line went dead. The sinking feeling in his chest turned absolutely crushing.

 

He tried calling back, but it didn't connect. He tried again, the same.

 

He'd never run so fast in his life.

 

He knocked into anyone who wouldn’t get out of the way, _can’t you see i’m in a god damn hurry._ He crashed through the door of Angela's office in the med bay, the blonde woman nearly jumping right out of her chair.

 

“Where is he? Where's Jack?” He shouted, unable to control the volume of his terrified voice. Angela frowned at him, deep and offended.

 

“He's investigating the Swiss HQ. they found explosives there last week. He took some of your team. you didn't know?” She looked condescending, angry. “What's all this about, why--”

 

“He called me, something’s... Something’s wrong, he was talking about goodbye, and i heard--”

 

They were interrupted by the television buzzing an emergency tone. Gabe turned to it, and deflated at the image of their once familiar Swiss HQ, a smoking pile of stone and steel beams. He heard Angela gasp beside him, realization dawning in a blinding flash. He knew she was already crying.

 

“This just in,” the television droned, “There's been a massive explosion at the Swiss headquarters of overwatch, which was evacuated last week due to the discovery of planted explosives. Intelligence tells us Jack Morrison, strike commander currently under investigation for fraud, lead a small team inside to investigate the explosives. He and the team are presumed dead.”

 

_Dead._

 

Suddenly everything was underwater. He couldn't breathe, everything drowned out by the reverberating last words. They echoed in his head, knocking against his skull and making him dizzy.

 

_Goodbye. I love you. I'm sorry. Goodbye. I love you. I'm sorry. Goodbye--_

 

Angela shook him, and he turned to face her. She was crying, her voice shook like an earthquake “I need to go, you need to go. We need to go, Gabriel, we have to go _now.”_ She repeated, but everything was hazy in the wake of that word.

 

_Dead._

 

The next few hours were like a dream. They passed by like he was floating through them. The ride to the corpse of their swiss HQ, the rush through the caution tape to get into the remains of the building. Wading through the rubble with desperate, aching hands for hours. It was all blurry in his memory, like he’d been in a fog.

 

But he vividness of Jack's face, soft like he was asleep, split open and bloody would haunt him for the rest of his life.

 

Angela had found him in the wreckage, dead. His pretty face was ripped like paper, once across his mouth, once between his eyes. The blood had dried in huge gobs in his hair. He'd been pinned under a piece of machinery, saving him from being crushed to death by the falling support beams. Too weak to move, it didn't look like he fought to get out.  Body curled, prone. if not for the blood -- _so much blood, everywhere, staining all that soft skin--_ and those lifeless blue eyes gabe would have thought he was asleep.

 

Gabe was the one who carried him out. He pulled Jack up into his arms, one under his knees and one around his back. He let Jack’s bloodied face drop against his chest, and his heart ached so deeply he thought it might stop. He was the one who laid jack into a body bag, tucking him into it so carefully, like any discomfort might actually affect him. Gabriel was the one who pulled his burned eyelids down over his eyes, the last glimpse of damaged blue he’d ever see.

 

He had the detonator in his hands, and a note hidden carefully in his reinforced coat, safe from the fire. He hadn't worn his normal armor, he hadn't brought his pulse rifle. He'd gone in with the intent to destroy himself and everyone inside.

 

The note was addressed to Gabe, and he couldn't bare to open it.

 

They had a funeral. Their closest friends gathered around a closed casket. He stood beside Ana, who held little Fareeha in her arms. He was sure the girl cried more than the group of them combined, at least out in the open. She mourned loud and without filter, cursing at whatever god had let this happen to Jack. Ana was quiet, she let her daughter grieve while she cried only gentle, silent tears down a stern face. He watched Lena touch the coffin, laying on it a bouquet of marigolds. It was the flower they’d chosen as a group, Jack’s favourite. Bright and warm, like the sun for their golden boy. One of the recruits told him they meant grief. Reinhardt had knelt in front of the casket and pressed his forehead to it, talking to the wood like Jack might hear him.

 

Jesse had walked from his side up to the flower covered coffin. His flesh hand pulled his hat from his head, pressing it to his chest. Metal hand landed gently and lips followed-- touching the wood above where Jack’s head lay pillowed in the soft satin underneath. The gentle drops of tears sounded like explosions in Gabriel’s mind.

 

Then there was Genji. Gabriel watched him, never more than a foot away from the casket; only shifting away when someone came up to express their pain. Genji’s hand was always on the wood, his head down, eyes always on the door like Jack might swing it open. He could taste the young cyborg’s grief in the air, even from so far away. Genji had loved Jack just as keenly as he had, and Genji had been the last of them to see him alive.

 

It was no wonder he disappeared the day after the funeral.

 

The world around them celebrated the fall of Jack Morrison, tyrant of overwatch. Gabriel was named strike commander in Jack's place, and it felt like a stake in the heart.

 

It wasn't until after the ceremony that he opened the letter.

 

_Hi, Gabriel._

 

_If you got this letter, my plan worked. You're going to be named strike commander, just like you always dreamed. You always were meant for greatness, I'm sorry it took so long. I’m sorry i stood in your way, let my hubris get the better of me. Icarus and all that, you know the story._

_I need to tell you something._

_Everyone I brought with me was working to bring us down, Gabriel. They were the only ones I could find, but I'm sure there's more. All the things we were being accused of-- they happened, but not on orders from overwatch. Something is coming, Gabriel, and I can't stop it._

_You can, though. You can make overwatch what it was meant to be, what it was before all of this._

_I love you, I always have. I'm sorry I ruined it, I never meant for it to be this way. Don’t mourn for me, it’s better this way._

_I’m leaving you with a parting gift, use it wisely: 4758935TGC_

 

_\-- Your Jack_

 

Another flood, the grief took him down like a drowning sailor. They could have talked, they could have worked it out, they could have done _something_ to avoid this! Anything, anything he would have done to save his Jackie, his _querido, carino, armor_ from this. Instead, Jack had sacrificed himself for him. And now he had everything he'd ever dreamed of, but not the one thing he needed.

 

Instead, the last words he’d said to jack were callous, heartless, _mean._ He’d sworn, he’d told him he was too busy for him. He remembered Jack reaching out now, the times here and there where they would pass each other in the hall and Jack would pull his attention, clinging desperately to any amount of conversation Gabe would give him.

 

He wanted to believe they could have talked. He wanted to believe he could have saved Jack from this final solution, but the crushing reality dragged him down, held him like an anchor. He’d shrugged off any attempt Jack had made with bitterness and resentment. And that was his legacy, and now Jack was dead.

 

The guilt ate him up inside, But thank god for Jesse Mccree. The little runt they’d picked up a few years back, idiot little cowboy. He’d come to Gabe’s side like a moth to a flame, offering a shoulder and a bed and everything in between. Gabriel had taken it without hesitation, letting himself get lost in the comfort Jesse gave him.

 

Gabriel struggled, trying to give Jesse what he deserved. The man was smarter than everyone gave him credit for. He gently reassured him in the dead of night that he understood when Gabriel dug his face into Jesse’s throat and begged him to know that he wasn’t a replacement. That he meant more than just a comfort and a warm bed.

 

It was Jesse who kept him steady, Jesse who looked at him across the room and anchored him when he was floundering at a conference or a public address. It was Jesse who told him in the quiet under damp sheets that he was doing great work, that he was making Overwatch what it was meant to be.

 

It was Jesse Gabriel brought to his right hand side to match Ana on his left, and they protected the world together.

 

* * *

 

 

Gabriel threw himself into making sure Jack’s sacrifice wasn’t for nothing. He worked tirelessly, building overwatch slowly up from the ashes like a Phoenix. Stronger than before. Weeding out the spies, recruiting new members constantly.

 

They managed to gain some semblance of peace over the years with Gabriel as strike commander. There would always be fighting, always some underground group poised to make chaos. Gabriel was starting to believe they were coming out of thin air for the sole purpose of trying to pull Overwatch to the ground.

 

He heeded Jack's warning, carefully picking through their ranks for spies. Every department, every nook and cranny. He was sure he wasn't finding them all, tiny spiders well hidden in a vast web. All thanks to that code jack had left him, implemented just before he died. Sneaky, a careful piece of security he found placed in every new recruit’s file. It could be used to analyze discrepancies.

 

It was a constant battle, but they were winning.

 

Talon’s ugly head came in the form of civilian bombings, openly blaming Overwatch for not protecting them. The Public was beginning to turn, just like they had with Jack, afraid and betrayed. Gabriel tried his hardest to calm them, to let them know they were working on understanding the intell and that they would take care of this new threat just like they'd done with the others.

 

He never expected the deaths in his own headquarters. Suddenly they were finding men and women, cornered in rooms, executed. The word SPY was written above each and every one of them. After careful investigations Gabriel found out they were, in fact, double agents.

 

There was so much evidence of the killer being shot at, injured, but not a single trace was left. No bullets, no blood from anyone but the agent that had been killed. Scrubbed clean, no DNA to be found. How this mercenary was getting into the facility to begin with was maddening. It was helping; the less spies they had among their ranks the more they knew, the more they could do against Talon. They were getting better intell with each death, less information falling through the cracks.

 

But still, someone was sneaking into _his_ base and putting _his_ men at risk, and he needed it to stop.

 

The first explosion was when they finally caught sight of the person they suspected of the killings. It was the blurriest security camera footage ever, but it was still a glimpse. Red visor, glowing in the dark like a beacon. Gabriel watched him turn to shoot, and the number on the back of his jacket stopped his heart.

 

_76_.

 

Jack's patient number in the SEP. Gabriel knew it was just a coincidence, there was no way someone had chosen that number specifically to get to him; but it still made his chest tighten, a grip around his heart like a vice. It had been years since Jack's sacrifice, and still the mere thought of him had Gabriel stuck in place.

 

But as always, there was Jesse. A steady hand on his shoulder, warm southern drawl telling him it was fine, just a weird coincidence. Kisses to his cheek or the side of his neck that melted his tensions away and dragged him back to reality.

 

The deaths continued. The explosions were less frequent, but perfectly timed. old Overwatch facilities, being used by talon and their double agents in an attempt to intercept Overwatch communications. It felt like a cruel joke, seeing more of them in flames. Gabriel couldn't for the life of him understand how one man was doing all of this.

 

* * *

 

 

There was a press conference, almost a year after Talon had started it's reign of terror. They'd done perimeter check after perimeter check, knowing talon still had access to their communications. A sneak attack was likely, if not guaranteed.

 

Gabriel went out in front of the cameras and the veritable horde of people and reporters. He gave his speech, the kind he hated-- long and droning and more an attempt to calm the masses with gibberish than actual information. Inevitably, one of the reporters asked about the explosions in the old overwatch facilities, and Gabriel did his best to skirt around the question with 'potential risk to current overwatch personnel, talon attempting to hack the old systems' sort of fodder.

 

It all happened so fast, he barely had time to register it. Two shots, the familiar launch of Helix rockets that made his heart stutter in his chest and just afterwards the telltale crack of a sniper rifle. The bullet whizzed past his head, just barely missing it’s mark,  and he turned immediately to look at where the rockets had made contact with a building yards away.

 

Immediately the crowd went into a panic, screaming and running like chickens. Jesse rushed in, dragging him backwards behind cover to keep him safe. Something was very wrong, they’d done sweep after sweep and found nothing! Security detail everywhere, How did a sniper get here so quickly without anyone noticing? And who the hell fired those rockets?

 

“everyone, we need to leave the area! An attempt was just made on the strike commander’s life, we do not want anyone caught in the crossfire! Please, Follow Her reinhardt, he will lead everyone safely away!” Angela's voice sang over the microphone, and the evacuation proceedings commenced without pause.

 

A noise jostled him out of his stunned thoughts, to his left in the bushes that surrounded the area. He spun around, seeing that goddamn red visor emerging from the brush line. He was looking at him, the vigilante, whatever hid under the visor stared right back at Gabriel as the man ran past the panicked crowd towards where the sniper had roosted.

 

“Angela, it’s Him!!” Gabriel shouted, swiftly unhooking his shotguns from the holsters on his belt. He heard another helix launch, flinging himself up above cover in time to watch them crash into a new window. A second sniper bullet ripped through the air, this time well off it’s mark but still aimed at him. Was the Masked man _protecting_ him?

 

“Gabriel, _leave it!_ We need to go, now!”Angela shouted, before turning her head and speaking urgently into her com “Sniper still live, we need transport immediately.” Reinhardt’s loud voice rang out for people to stay behind him, to move gently, be careful of one another.

 

“No, i’m going after him _now_. I won’t let him slip up and kill some innocent recruit! Jesse, with me” he swung his arm at the gunslinger, who glanced between him and Angela before hurriedly following his commander's orders.

 

The two of them took off after the vigilante, staying tucked behind cover in case that sniper was still trying to hit their original mark. The crowd made it hard, people and cars rushing about trying to get out of the way of all the surprise gunfire. The sniper seemed to have turned their sights on the vigilante, which made him easier to track. He'd been hit at some point, leaving little spatters of blood behind on the ground.

 

The sniper fire ended, and they had the vigilante cornered. He was inside a building, boarded up and abandoned, when Gabriel and Jesse burst through the doors with weapons drawn.

 

“Stop right there, partner.” Jesse called into the room, sharp voice echoing against the walls. The vigilante turned, hiding that glaring red _76_ from Gabriel. In its place the visor glowed bright in the dark, staring back at the both of them. He didn't raise his rifle, which Gabriel recognized immediately as an older version of a pulse rifle. _Like the one Jack used, with helix rockets and charged aim assist._ His heart clenched in his chest again, and he frowned deeply.

 

He even looked like jack, which made it all worse. His hair was clearly meant to be blonde, gone white at the temples with strands throughout following suit. He had a scar that peaked above the visor that reminded him of the wound he saw on Jack's lifeless face-- _so much blood, everywhere, how can I be sure?_

 

“You're the one that been breaking into my buildings. You've been putting my men at risk. Who are you?” Gabriel demanded, throat tight.

 

They was met with only labored breathing and the glare of his visor, no response from the vigilante. The sniper wound was in his shoulder, torn through the reinforced jacket and bleeding heavily in thick drops on the floor.

 

“My commander asked you a question, what's your business?” Jesse drawled, that visor turning it’s attention to him. Still, the man was silent.

 

He couldn't handle this anymore. Instinctively, Gabriel flung himself forward when the man's attention was diverted to Jesse. He swung his shotgun, whipping one of his greying temples. The man crumpled under him, and Gabriel fell with him. He discarded his guns, hands fisted into that offending jacket. 

 

_How dare you wear his number._

 

“Tell me who you are!” Gabriel snarled, sharp and angry. This ghost like a screaming reminder of Jack, Of everything that had gone so wrong. Of that face covered in blood with dead eyes that still haunted him in his nightmares. the number on his back glared in his mind, making him feel sick.

 

_How dare you remind me of him._

 

He was met again with silence, and Gabriel shook him. He pulled forward and jerked, cracking the vigilante’s skull against the floor. Jesse rushed forward and grabbed his shoulder, stopping him from repeating the motion.

 

“Boss, woah, you're not gonna get anything outta him if he's dead!” The gunslinger shouted, grip like a vice on Gabriel's arm, always his anchor. Jesse reached forward towards the vigilante's face, and finally a response from their prisoner. The man immediately started wriggling, trying to keep those hands from getting to the visor. “Hold ‘im for me. If he’s not gonna tell us with his mouth, he’ll tell us with his face.”

 

Gabriel shifted, putting his knees firmly on the ground on either side of the masked man’s hips, keeping his legs pinned with his own. His hands gripped his biceps, holding them so Jesse could reach the latch on the visor. The vigilante struggled against him, Gabriel had to commend him for how hard he was fighting with a bullet wound in his shoulder. He could feel the man’s damaged breathing, the grunting and huffing whenever the wound was twisted by his movements.

 

Jesse’s fingers delved into the creases of the mask, finding the latch just behind his jaw and pressing hard. He was met with a sharp hiss of hot steam. He ripped his hands back away from the mask, yelping sharply. “God damn, that stings!”

 

Gabriel growled, looking for any sign that the mask had slid loose or unlatched. Nothing. “What’s this game, then? Take the damn mask off, or tell us who you are.” he spat aggressively in the vigilante’s face.

 

“It’s biometrically sealed.” Finally, some goddamn words. The voice was thick, low and clearly modulated. Gabriel assumed it was meant to confuse any kind of recording device, he’d worn devices like that before. “You can’t take it off, and you can’t make me take it off.”

 

Gabriel scoffed, sharp and angry, before he gripped the vigilante by his injured shoulder and yanked. The man howled, forced to turn the way Gabe was pulling him to avoid any further agony. He was rolled onto his stomach with some force from Gabriel, and Jesse clamped the hard light cuffs around his wrists without a moment’s hesitation. Always on the same wavelength, he and Jesse.

 

“Well, we’ll have to find other ways of makin’ you talk, then, won’t we? Looks like you’re comin’ with us, Pal.” Jesse sneered, still bitter about the burn on his hand. Gabriel hefted the man up by his arms, straining them at an awkward angle just to hear him grunt again.

 

They called for armored transport, and shuttled their new prisoner straight to the set of holding cells in the belly of Gibraltar.


	2. Speechless

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ALRIGHT i made my deadline, awesome! Happy birthday to me!! this chapter is mostly some soft reunion porn, so pls be aware it is NSFW!! i also am going to warn everyone ahead of time this is trans/non-conforming genji, there are going to be a few more notes on this and why i chose this at the end of the fic.  
> since this one isn't super plotty, i'll be uploading chapter three in the next couple days! hopefully before the weekend.  
> this chapter is named after the song [Speechless](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0BWRQCpUMg) by memphis may fire. if you'd like to get a look into the themes and names for future chapters, check out [This Playlist](http://lacrimacorona.tumblr.com/post/152188904064/here-it-is-this-is-the-playlist-for-stones%22) i made to give everyone a sneak peek!!  
> Once again, please follow me on [Tumblr](http://lacrimacorona.tumblr.com) to keep up with updates!!

__ For a moment, I'm a poet without words, speechless because you love me at my worst.   
I don't deserve this.  
I let it surface & all I know is today I woke up falling in love again 

 

* * *

 

 

Jack remembered death.

 

He remembered pressing the detonator and feeling the rush of heat, the deafening sound of the explosion making his ears ring. He remembered the dust first, forcing its way into his eyes and his lungs and making him choke. Then came the fire, the sound of screaming and terror from all the men and women he’d brought with him, sentenced to death.

 

He remembered the flash that nearly stole his eyesight. The ceiling breaking open like a chasm and spitting fire, The crushing weight of the machine that fell came next. He remembered suffocating under it, The burn of his lungs filling with fluid. He’d always wondered what drowning felt like. Now he supposed he could tell people definitively that it was not the peaceful release he’d heard about. 

 

He’d planned the whole thing so carefully, to be absolutely positive no first responder would get there in time to save him or any of the people he’d brought with him. He made sure the blast would kill him, positive that even Angela wouldn’t arrive in time to bring him back from real death-- long death.

 

But he remembered the rush of air into his lungs, the bloom of pain as life crashed back into him. He’d spent a week in that tiny white room with her looming over him, his eyes dead. They stayed that way for a long time, even after all the other wounds had closed and scarred.

 

They’d built the visor and the mask together, carefully constructed using the tech that was in his old tactical eyepiece. It relayed information right to the visual cortex of his brain-- heat signatures, data of his surroundings, rough outlines of walls and obstacles. It was all he needed, he’d be living a vigilante life from now on after all.

 

The fighting never really ended.

 

Seven full years watching Overwatch claw its way back to glory, Gabriel at its helm. He had no idea how he’d ever thought he was worthy of that position, how he ever thought anyone but Gabe could command Overwatch. The crushing reality of his death being the best thing that had ever happened both to Gabriel and to the organization itself had been churning his stomach for years. He watched Gabriel thrive, every new threat and opposition faced with swift grace and certainty.

 

Until Talon decided to try and fuck it all up.

 

Jack had been forced to intervene when they started driving into Overwatch at full force. Angela made him a very carefully constructed ghost ID to get into the facilities, letting him carefully monitor new and old recruits. He’d made plenty of modifications to the old security coding that he’d left for Gabe after his death, giving it a bit more oomph.

 

It still wasn’t enough, not when Gabriel was probably the only person monitoring it all. Too risky to let out that he knew there were spies in their ranks, the whole thing would crumble to the ground. So Jack turned all of his attention to keeping careful eyes on everything from behind the scenes, striking when he needed to. Leaving the guilty like warning signs, it felt a bit like the days of pirates.

 

The planted explosions were something like a pet project. Each one felt like a signature, he kept the detonators for them. Every building he razed made Overwatch safer, and he would bring the world down if he had to.

 

Then he went and got himself  too close. He’d known there would be a sniper sent for Gabriel, he’d intercepted Talon communication about it when the press conference had been announced. He’d stuck too close to the crowd, too close to Gabe like the sentimental idiot he was and it got him caught.

 

Now he laid in a tiny cell on an awful, hard cot with only his thoughts to keep him company.

 

He’d been here almost two weeks now. Gabriel had come and gone several times, and Jesse intermittently as well. They had no idea who he was. Jack was staring into the face of a man he loved and another he’d become close to during his commanding days, and knowing they didn’t have a hint of recognition was a kick in the face.

 

They talked about his motives, they asked him his name. He’d been going by the pseudonym Soldier: 76 for years now, a call back to his days in the SEP when they were just numbers. 76 had been his, it seemed fitting. He hadn’t told them much of anything else, only that his goal was to help Overwatch succeed in keeping the world safe. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

He couldn’t remove his visor, so thank god he and Angela had worked in a switch to turn the damn thing off once in awhile. It gave him headaches like nothing he’d ever felt if he left it on too long. In his cramped, quiet cell he’d flick it off and enjoy the darkness, eyes closed behind the layers of glass and metal. His eyesight was gradually returning with Angela’s help; a few more treatments and he’d be able to get around fine with just a pair of glasses. He wasn’t sure how he’d finish those off being locked in here, though, and if they weren’t careful it could start degrading again.

 

He’d been alone for almost four days now, neither of the men had come in to talk. He was brought food by some new recruit three times a day, and carefully hid himself from the watchful eye of Athena when he removed his mask to eat it.

 

On the fifth day of zero contact, his head buzzing anxiously from a mix of boredom and loneliness, the door to the cell block rang its telltale chime. It wasn’t a meal, they’d brought one for him barely an hour ago. Jack lifted his head, carefully thumbing the switch on his visor to activate it again.

 

The figure he saw standing in front of him was one he hadn’t seen in a very long time, but would recognize anywhere. Even an outlined heat signature, Jack's heart lept right up into his throat.

 

Genji Shimada, the lithe cyborg he'd spent so much time with when he was still Strike Commander. After the falling out with Gabe, after he’d ruined everything, Genji shone like a beacon. He’d been a chance to atone for his mistakes, a chance to treat someone they way they deserved. Nights spent curled around each other. The feel of his synthetic muscles against Jack's fingertips was still a very vibrant memory. His warm voice, the gentle hum of his systems that comforted Jack in his sleep. 

 

He’d taken to Genji immediately. Genji was quiet and alone and full of the kind of anxiety Jack remembered very distinctly from the SEP. Learning his new body, learning where he fit in the world now. He was so alone in Overwatch at first, everyone wary. Jack made it his sole purpose to make Genji feel welcome, at home,  _ safe  _ with Overwatch. With him.

 

The fact that they’d fallen into bed together really couldn’t be blamed on either of them. Genji was charming, sweet, with an amazing sense of humor. His voice was like honey wine, bright and thick and accented beautifully. Jack had spent hours telling him he was beautiful, touching the skin that was left on the cyborg, kissing every scar. He’d dragged his hands over every inch of him until Genji was shaking, overloading all his sensors in an attempt to will him to believe Jack when he said the words  _ you’re beautiful. _

 

The sight of him so suddenly appearing made Jack's skin burn like a fire had been lit just under the surface. He’d left Overwatch shortly after Jack’s death, hadn’t been seen since. What on earth was he doing back?

 

They stared, silent, at each other for several minutes. He felt Genji’s eyes on him, pinning him down where he was. He needed to say something, needed to deflect those searching eyes hiding under the cyborg’s visor.

 

“Well look at you,” Jack leaned forward on his cot, trying to make his voice cocky, unknowing.  He planted his feet on the floor and put the weight of his upper body onto his elbows, resting them on his knees. “Haven’t seen anything like you before, who--”

 

“Don’t play coy with me,” If Jack didn’t know Genji, the tone would sound condescending. But Jack recognized that playful lilt, like a cat. “You know who I am. And I know who you are, Jack Morrison.”

 

The words hit him like a sledgehammer to his chest. He couldn’t even help the sputtering sound that escaped him. No, no, Genji couldn’t know. No one could know he was alive, it would ruin the whole thing. Everyone was better off with him dead. The world had to stay in the dark about this, Overwatch would crumble all over again if the public found out--

 

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell. I turned Athena’s monitoring off in the cell before I came in; we’re safe.  _ You’re  _ safe.” Genji’s voice leaked sentimentality. The genuine happiness in it was overwhelming. Not even Angela spoke to him like that.

 

Genji moved forward, swiftly unlocking the cell door and stepping inside. He unlatched his own visor, dark hair spilling out. When had his hair gotten so long? He stepped close to where Jack was sitting and stood between Jack’s knees, one synthetic hand brushing slow and gentle through the exposed, greying hair. The other dropped his visor onto the cot so it could join the other threading through his hair. The contact made Jack flinch,  unused to anything that wasn't a strike. “I showed you mine, now show me yours.” his voice made Jack melt, warm and thick.

 

Was he really supposed to say no? Jack reached up, quickly pressing the latches behind his jaw. A small hiss of the air release locks, and he pulled the visor and the mask off his face slowly. He dropped it on the cot where the cyborg had left his own. Genji's colour was different, he realized, once the visor was off. Dark, black and blue and just as beautiful. God how Jack wished he could see him clearly. What he wouldn't give to be able to look into those golden eyes and drown all over again.

 

Genji's fingers trailed through his hair again, over his face slowly. He traced the scarring across Jack's eyes, then the two angry lines that cut through his face. They dusted over his eyelashes, making them flutter softly against Genji's fingertips. He tried to focus on Genji's eyes, wanting to stave off the realization that he was blind for as long as possible. He didn't want Genji to see him as this broken thing.

 

“No more posters for you, eh, Jack?” Genji cooed, playful and sweet as honey. It made him  _ laugh,  _ honest to god laughter after years. The sound was foreign in his own ears, jittering and awkward. Jack laid his hands on Genji's hips before he could stop himself, pulling him in a little closer so he could let his forehead rest against the metal plates of armor on Genji's chest.

 

“Nope, no more posters for me. Looks like we're both in the no poster club now.” Jack teased back, his hands curving around to follow the line of synthetic muscle up Genji's back. He hadn't touched another person since he died, not like this. Not with tenderness, gentleness, certainly not with adoration. There was no other way to touch Genji, not for Jack. He felt Genji's beautiful body hum against his fingers and his face, the familiarity of it stilling his own vibrating nerves. He wished he could properly admire the way his body responded the same way even after so many years.

 

“Can you see me, Jack? Your eyes were badly damaged, but they track me well.” There it was. Genji's fingers moved deftly down the back of Jack's neck, a bit of pressure like he was trying to push out the sudden tensing in him.

 

“Blurry, very blurry. It’s mostly just fuzzy shapes. The visor makes it more distinct, heat signatures and target outlines.” He tried not to sound so defeated by it. He’d spent so long with this secret, visor hiding the fact from anyone he came across.

 

“What an excellent excuse for you to touch me more.” Genji’s voice didn’t carry a hint of pity. It was playful, teasing,  _ normal. _ The difference was jarring and overwhelming, it made everything hazy. All Jack could do was wrap his arms tighter around Genji’s waist and drag him in. He pressed the side of his face flat against Genji’s chestplate, listening to the gentle hum of all the inner workings of Genji’s new body, searching for that baseline of his heart beat. It had always been a comfort, even back when Jack was Strike Commander, to lie together and listen to the sounds of Genji’s body keeping him alive.

 

His hands dragged across the lines of his armor, feeling the tiny changes from the last time he’d done this. The nuances of this new armor, the upgrades in the weaving of all the synthetic fibers. This suit was carbon fiber, softer than his last one, more flexible. Genji’s systems whirred under the attention, the sudden stimulus making him breathe in sharply. Jack felt Genji’s delicate hands follow suit, pushing from the back of his neck down over his shoulder blades, back up his spine. God, he’d missed this.

 

“Jack.” Genji breathed like it was caught in his throat. Jack squeezed him, desperate to not let the cyborg go just yet,  _ just a little longer. _ “Jack, listen to me. Tell them you want to join. You’ve been helping us all this time anyway, tell them you want to join Overwatch. I’ll keep your secret; we can keep your secret. You can’t do this anymore, this rogue life. It’s killing you, you know that. “ Genji’s hands came around, taking careful hold of his face. The cyborg knelt between his legs, pressing their foreheads together carefully. “You must find peace. You cannot keep running, Jack. Please, find peace here. Find peace with me.”

 

Genji’s thumb slid over his cheek, slow and careful, and Jack let the first kiss they’d shared in seven years fuel the fire that had all but gone out in his chest. He clung to the smaller man like he would float away, arms curled tight around Genji’s lithe frame. The memories crashed over him like a wave, thick and salty and everything he wanted. The last time they’d kissed, Jack knew it was final. He’d kissed Genji like the entire world was going to end, knowing he’d never have this again. Genji had been confused, joking gently about his eagerness, about his sentimentality. Jack had taken the words from him and consumed them, slow and long and deep. And the next day, he’d killed himself.

 

Jack kissed him now like a dying man drank water, in gulps between gasping for air. He needed it more than he’d ever needed anything, this one touch after seven years of nothing. Genji held his face like it was something precious, kissed him like he couldn’t get enough.   
  
When Genji finally pulled his face back, Jack leaned into him again. He needed more, it wasn’t enough, it had been so long. He heard the smaller man laugh, the noise melting every chill that had grown in Jack’s chest over the years. “There will be more later. I need to go now, but Gabriel and Jesse will be in soon. I’ll be there. Tell them you want to join,” His voice was firm but warm, and he pressed his lips to the scar that cut across Jack’s forehead. “They’ll listen.”   
  
Jack wanted desperately for him to  _ just stay.  _ The comfort he felt with Genji in his arms was everything he needed now, stuck in this tiny cell after seven years of suffering and struggling and loneliness. But Jack knew better than anyone that all good things came to an end, so his hands slipped away from the cyborg and let him step back. “If they let me join, I want to see you as soon as I can. We have time to make up for, I have to apologize for so many things, I--”

 

Genji hushed him, putting two fingers against his lips. They lingered, Genji’s eyes on him like a spotlight in the dark. “Jack, I’ve found peace. With my brother, with you, with  _ myself.  _ We will talk about it, but do not let it eat you up inside. You have suffered for too long with it already.”

 

Jack heaved a slow breath, nodding his head like a jostled ragdoll. Watching Genji leave the cell dragged every deep shadow back into his chest, thick enough to choke. He quickly replaced his mask and visor, breathing in the filtered air like it might ease the tightness in his chest. He closed his eyes against the darkness, keeping the visor turned off for now. He needed to settle, the warmth of Genji’s touch after so many years of nothing filling him up, making him giddy. His whole body was thrumming from it, nerves on fire with the lingering memory of Genji’s hands, his mouth.

 

* * *

 

 

It wasn’t until the next day that he was visited again. At the sound of the door, he clicked his visor on and sat up on his cot, the familiar shapes of Gabriel and Jesse moving into view before Genji’s smaller form slid in after them. Three men he’d cared for so deeply, standing in front of him-- two of which were staring down at him like he’d killed their parents, and without a hint of recognition in their faces. It stung. To know he and Gabriel had been together for so many years, yet it was Genji who knew him immediately-- despite the two of them only having known each other for a few fleeting ones.

 

“Shimada says you’re interested in joining Overwatch. So what was all this craziness about in the first place-- didn’t want to bother joining up so you could just kill people to your damn heart’s content?” Gabriel’s voice was dark, accusatory. The sound of it dragged Jack back to the last day of his life, Gabe’s voice over the phone in his final moments.

 

_ I’m busy. _

 

“That’s not why I’ve been doing it.” Jack’s words came faster than he expected, sharp and sure. He didn’t want Gabriel interrupting him. “You’ve been struggling with these spies for years. It’s too hard to keep track of them all on your own. We have a common goal, that’s all. Not being part of Overwatch just allowed me to…. do some of the necessary things that weren’t quite as... legal.”

 

“What, like breaking and entering, murder, arson? Those kinds of things? Don’t play these shit games with me right now,” Gabriel spat, angry and harsh.

 

“That’s not what I meant. This is… this is more complicated than just catching them, putting them on trial, it’s--”

 

“It’s still  _ my  _ business,  _ my  _ job. Not some vigilante’s trying to take justice into his own hands!” Gabriel interrupted him, jabbing a finger at him from the other side of the bars. Jack tried not to flinch, tried not to let on that being on the receiving end of that anger again made his bones ache.

 

“I think,” Genji’s voice chimed in loud and clear, pulling everyone’s attention effortlessly. “That the Soldier was doing what was in his power to assist us. He couldn’t operate under legal parameters and knew that we have some very… specific restrictions now. However, if the word gets out, his continued illegal involvement could be spun to look very bad for Overwatch.” The cyborg explained slowly, his words measured and calm compared to the rest of the conversation. “Bringing him in would help. He could help the Strike Commander weed through data for spies, take some of the pressure off. He’s clearly very good at it. We can avoid any scandals by simply not allowing the public to ever catch wind that he was a vigilante before. They don’t know who he is yet; No photos or video have ever been released of him.”

 

“Isn’t that a bit… dangerous? More secrets from the public, that was our mistake before.” Jesse’s voice was wary, carrying an edge to it even against Genji’s gentle tone.

 

“There will always be secrets, Jesse. They are already unaware of the deaths, we are simply keeping them unaware.” Genji rolled his shoulders in a light shrug, “Besides, the public isn’t even aware of your previous affiliation, nor mine. There is no reason for us to refuse the Soldier for an ideal  we are both already in violation of.”

 

Jack heard Gabe grunt, clearly displeased with the display of logic. Jesse toed the floor, lolling his head back and forth in a kind of pseudo nod. “Reckon you’re right there. And he has been useful, gotta admit. We coulda been totally overrun with spies and threats if not for all that help.” He turned his attention toward Gabriel, who crossed his arms over his chest. He took a step closer to the cell and Jack stood from his cot.

 

“Take the mask off and I’ll consider it,” Gabriel growled, and Jack inhaled sharply. He opened his mouth to speak, but Genji cut him off.

 

“He can’t. The visor is a vision aid and the mask has a filter in it that helps him breathe. We had a conversation yesterday. Please, Commander, I would not have suggested he join us outright if I did not trust him.” His voice was calm and infectious. Jack’s shoulders sagged and he watched Gabriel fidget in his place. “I also believe, Gabriel, in respecting his wishes. I was also reluctant to ever remove my visor due to the extensive damage to my face. His desire to remain unseen is not unwarranted. He deserves respect.”

 

Jack disagreed but didn’t open his mouth. He’d lost his right to respect a long time ago when he drove Overwatch into death throes. Especially from Gabriel, the man he’d betrayed, taken for granted; The man who’d been picking up the pieces of Jack’s mistakes for seven years. He didn’t deserve an ounce of respect from Gabriel. 

 

This could be his chance to earn it back, though. Another name, another person, a chance to make it up to this man he’d shared so much with who deserved so much better. Gabriel would never know what this was, who he was, but maybe for his own peace; Maybe for his own selfish desire to finally feel like he’d atoned for everything he’d done.

 

Gabriel grunted again, a loud sigh escaping him. “Angela will look him over first. And since you seem so keen on this idea Genji, I’m putting this on you. He’ll be under your watch and any suspicious activity I need reported to me  _ immediately.  _ Don’t let him out of your sight, til we can determine he’s actually safe to have around.  _ Dios mio,  _ I can’t believe I’m agreeing to this.” He dragged both hands down his face, rubbing the back of his neck harshly before turning on his heel. “Jesse, C’mon. Genji, escort him to Angela. I’ll com her and let her know you’re coming. And  _ you,”  _ Gabriel turned again sharply to look at him, pointing his finger at Jack’s face. “If I hear  _ anything,  _ if I give you this chance and you fuck it up, may god help you,” he hissed, the threat clear.

 

Jesse and Gabriel took their leave, Jesse’s eyes lingering on Jack’s face as they went. No doubt he was unsure, Jesse had always been slow to trust. He wore a very well constructed carefree facade, but he was observant. More observant and certainly smarter than most people thought he was; Which now that Jack thought about it, might have been his angle in the first place. He remembered being against Jesse’s attitude when they brought him on the team, all of his showboating and the cowboy caricature persona he dragged out of some ancient western movie. He’d thought it was immature, too flamboyant for an undercover agent. Yet, his naive, good-guy attitude helped them so many times. 

 

Genji’s light voice broke his concentration, the moment Gabriel and Jesse had left the cell block he was speaking. “I’m glad that worked out so easily. I was expecting a bit more of a fight.” His laugh echoed gently, that mechanical undertone easing Jack’s nerves. The cell door unlocked, and in came the smaller man with hands already reaching. They came into contact with the side of Jack’s neck, and that fight or flight instinct kicked him hard. He jumped, his head reeling back sharply before he could stop it; memories of hands around his throat, guns pressed to his head, his chest. He wasn’t used to this, not anymore. He hadn’t had friendly hands, loving hands on him in so many years.

 

Genji clucked his tongue at him, an affectionate sound as Jack stood embarrassed at his own lack of control. Genji’s hands dusted gently over the side of his neck, up the back of his head and gripped hard, pulling him down. He knocked their visors together, a pale imitation of a kiss. “I’m in charge of you now.” His voice came out in a low hum, sly and with a promise tucked away inside. “Let us go see Angela. I’ll see about what exactly ‘not taking my eyes off you’ entails.” Jack could practically hear the smirk under his visor, imagined that funny eyebrow quirk he’d seen the man do a hundred times before.

 

“Yes, sir,” Jack teased, knocking his visor against Genji’s again and letting a chuckle escape him. The carefree gentleness Genji was using with him, the normalcy of it, everything felt so much lighter. Even while Gabriel’s accusing, angry words echoed in his head, Genji’s warm voice broke through and eased his nerves.

 

They went to see Angela first. Jack sat through a good hour of her berating him for getting caught, for being injured, for all their hard work keeping him hidden being thrown to the wind. Genji stood quietly, his presence a confusing anchor in his mind. He knew Genji disagreed, wanted him here; but the thought that maybe somewhere the cyborg thought she was right-- thought Jack was better off hidden, better off gone. It ate at the inside of his chest like a toxin.

 

She went over him, took a good look at his eyes and gave him his normal injections. She helped them get Jack new identification for the Overwatch system, similar to his ghost ID; they couldn’t use his real DNA, he’d be caught. Jack had never been so happy to get back out of her lab. Normally he was happy to see her, the only friendly face for seven years, but this time she’d been nothing but aggression-- even if it was well meaning. He was too tired for it right now, all he wanted to do was sleep in a real bed.

 

Genji lead him away from the lab in a warm, companionable silence. Jack remembered these halls, the memories they held like stains in his mind. Each of the rooms they passed, an echo of his time as Strike Commander beating against his skull. They walked past his old office, turned into a meeting room; no surprise, of course Gabriel wouldn’t want to be in that space. It didn’t look like anyone actually used it though, not anymore.

 

The barracks wing was slightly less jarring. Repetitive rooms assigned with small nameplates on the doors, and Genji stopped them at one that read G. SHIMADA in gold on the plaque. He swiped his hand over the sensor, the lock clicking, before he swung open the door.

 

Inside was sparsely decorated, but Jack recognized it as a single person room-- not like the common barracks used by most of the new recruits. Genji was a vital member of Overwatch’s core, of course he got his own space. There was only one bed, which made Jack’s heart beat faster in his chest.

 

“They will give us another bed later, but I told Gabriel not to worry too much about it. He thinks it’s because I don’t need to sleep.” Genji’s visor hatch hissed its release, and the Cyborg removed it so he could turn to smirk at Jack. “Which is not… wrong. There are things I would much prefer to do than sleep.”

 

God, he missed this. He missed this playful energy, the hands that found their way to his waist, thumbs pressing against his hips and  _ gripping.  _ Jack reached up to carefully remove his own mask and visor, humming when Genji shifted even closer to him. “I should shower before I subject you to this.” He leaned forward, nudging his nose into the side of Genji’s face. “Been sitting in a cell for two weeks, don’t think you want to see what’s under all these layers.”

 

Genji scoffed at him, bright laughter bursting from his chest and burrowing into Jack’s, making his heart swell against his ribs. “You do remember the time we fell into the supply closet right after a mission, still covered in grime and blood, right?” he teased, pushing his nose up under Jack’s jaw. It was followed by teeth, sharp and dragging over the delicate skin of his throat. He was trying to coax Jack back, hands already starting to pull at him. It was so hard to resist Genji’s gravity, glowing like a star and pulling everything around him in.

 

But Jack kissed him just once, nudging his chin with his index finger before stepping away. “Shower first, then you can remind me of everything,”  he said firmly, watching a swath of white teeth bare itself across the blur of colour that was Genji’s face.

 

The hot water against his skin was a blessed change from the freezing sponge baths his cell provided and the quick river or sink rinses he’d gotten accustomed to over the years. Genji let him shower in peace, and he used the time to think on his new place in the world.

 

Back in Overwatch, he wouldn’t be anything but a number now. No more Strike Commander Morrison, that man died seven years ago. None of the people he’d known and loved would know it was him anymore. He was a ghost, he saw the remnants of his previous life here in these hallways, the way it haunted everyone he’d left behind. So he would leave it there, he would let that ghost stay laid to rest.

 

He didn’t bother redressing once he’d finished showering. There was no point, Genji was going to have him naked in two minutes anyway. He stepped from the bathroom with a towel tied around his waist, scanning the darkened room for the glow of Genji’s systems.

 

He heard Genji before he saw the cyborg, those quiet feet behind him, trying to sneak up. The hands came as a surprise, as they always seemed to for him. He jumped sharply as deft fingertips dusted over his back and slid around his hips to dance along the ridges of muscle in his abs. Genji’s lips pressed against the scarred skin of his back, tracing his shoulder blades with quick darts of his tongue to take the remaining moisture from the shower off his skin.

 

“Let’s at least get to the bed?” Jack chuckled, his own hands finding Genji’s wrists and running over the carefully constructed synthetic muscle and armor. The familiarity of it was driving him crazy, the feel of Genji pressing against his back and those fingers moving across his skin. He felt the other man’s smile against his shoulder blade, all teeth like a threat- or maybe it was a promise.

 

“Remember all those times on the floor, against the walls?” Genji’s voice came like a cat’s sly purr, his fingers teasing over the edge of the towel around Jack’s waist. He did remember those times, the memories flooding into his head like a tidal wave. So many encounters when they couldn’t make it to the bed, hands and teeth and tongues desperate for contact. Rug burns on his knees and his elbows after a rough session on the terrible carpet where he’d nearly rebooted Genji’s systems. Every sound the cyborg had made stuck out in his memory like the sun, and what he wouldn’t give to make him repeat every single one of them.

 

Jack gripped those thin wrists in his hands, pulling himself free so he could turn around and face Genji. He wished his vision was stronger, all he wanted was to  _ see  _ him again. Really see him, look deeply like he had before. Genji stood in front of him, his body vibrating with anticipation. Jack could feel it, every nerve tightly wound, ready to burst.

 

He moved forward, a deliberate shift that made Genji’s shoulders hike up. His hands felt over the chest plate, like muscle memory; finding the little release latches and pressing them. Genji’s breath hitched, each time Jack carefully unlatched a piece of armor and peeled it away. The pieces on his chest, his arms, his legs. He revealed the remaining skin like an art, dusting his fingers over the connection points where his synthetic muscle fibers attached to what was left of his human body.

 

It was like unwrapping a gift. Layer by layer he pulled back each piece of the carefully constructed shell. The armor bulked him up, and with every bit Jack pulled away he got smaller in his hands. He was bigger than he was seven years ago, sporting more muscle, strengthened from the time he had to learn this new body and support it. Exposing his throat was always such a delicate process, but it was one of his favourites. The front pieces helped support his more fragile neck, lending help to the spine enhancements that were a permanent installation.

 

His throat lead into the scarred expanse of his chest, his stomach. The synthetic fibers wound under his ribs, carefully flowing into his real muscle. It followed the V of his hipbones, the last of his human body left. When Jack thought to hard about the man who’d done this to Genji; his own brother, nearly destroying him, reducing him to barely a torso and a head; He could feel the anger boiling in his stomach. He’d do just about anything to find his hands around Hanzo’s throat.

 

He saved the best for last, the codpiece that hid his glorious prize. His fingers ran over the smooth surface first, Genji’s hands latching onto his biceps and his legs shaking like he might crumble just from this, from the anticipation. Jack hit the latch, peeling it away gently. Genji shuddered, a warm gasp escaping him as the air cooled the slick that had already pooled. , The display of eagerness, of  _ readiness  _ even after so long, made him chuckle.

 

He couldn’t waste time now, his own need flaring like a fire in his chest. He bent, gripping Genji’s thighs and lifted him. The cyborg’s arms flew around his neck, helping Jack hoist him up and wrapping his supple legs around his waist. Jack could feel the wet lips of his cunt against his stomach and it made him shake. He took the steps that got them to the bed, tossing Genji down his back.

 

“You got me wet.” Jack teased, standing over the smaller man who squirmed against the blankets. Jack relished in the memories he had, letting his mind fill in the blanks his weak vision made now. The way Genji’s hips rolled up, desperate for any friction. The way his fingers dug into the blankets. This body was so sensitive, so responsive. Angela was an artist, really.

 

“Oh,  _ I _ got  _ you  _ wet? What do you call this, then, Jack?” Genji’s voice came out in a purr, low and rumbling. Jack saw the shape of his hand shifting, tracing along his own body towards that bright wetness and he clicked his tongue sharply. Best stop that now, he couldn’t watch the show Genji intended to put on anymore.

 

“Ah, no. I might be blind but I can find my way just fine.” He grinned, hands landing on those open thighs and gripping tight. Genji’s arms moved above his head immediately, muscle memory from the many times Jack had tied them there, held them there. Jack climbed onto the bed, pushing Genji up so he could lie flat on his stomach between those lithe legs. He’d have to make this count, make up for the years and years they’d missed.

 

He blew soft breaths across his damp lips, pressing kisses along the smooth synthetic muscle of his thighs and the joint of his pelvis. He kept his grip tight on his legs even as Genji writhed against his hands, a desperate attempt for more contact, the contact he needed. He spent as much time as he could making the man gasp and shake, working and winding him up so the tiniest flick of his tongue against Genji’s bright labia made him cry into the room.

 

He treated it like a ritual, digging his teeth into his sensitive thighs or reaching up to kiss his stomach; shifting his legs so he could spread him wider, touch and kiss every bit of him besides where Genji was begging him to. Then he dragged the flat of his tongue over that quivering pussy, flick the tip of it over his stiff clit to make Genji  _ scream.  _ He repeated his ritual over and over, until Genji’s hands dug into his hair and forced his mouth down, full contact.

 

He’d drowned once and it was misery; but Jack was sure that if he could drown  _ here - _ suffocated by Genji’s thighs clamping around his head and thick pulses of slick pouring down his chin and into his mouth- he’d die happy. His tongue worked, delving deep, opening him up. Genji’s heels dug into his back, thin hips lifting off the bed as his chest  heaved deep, shaking gasps to fuel the forceful cries and moans falling out of him like prayers.

 

He could feel Genji’s thighs start to clench, his rolling hips losing their rhythm. He was so close, orgasm building thick and Jack dove for it. He worked his tongue over his bright clit, stiff and throbbing, trying to squeeze that orgasm out of him.

 

Genji’s hands yanked on his hair and it startled Jack right out of his focus. He was pulled away, the thin synthetic hands gripping tight to keep him back. His voice shook, his breathing coming out in desperate gasps, “N-not yet, not…. I want… I want it to last…” Jack couldn’t even think. Beautiful Genji, who was so sure it would be ending soon, as if they didn’t have all night to remember exactly how to touch each other.

 

He turned his head, one hand moving to grasp Genji’s and pull it down. He pressed his wet lips to the delicate inside of his wrist, kissing it oh so gently. “It will, don’t you worry about that. Did you think I was only going to give you one orgasm and be done with it? I’ve got seven years to make up for.” Jack smiled against the sensitive synthetic muscle, kissing it again before he shifted. He moved up, kneeling over the gorgeous man spread on the bed below him.

 

Jack took a moment to experience him. He could see the bright flush of red across Genji’s face, but his sight didn’t give him much else to go on. He listened to the sweet gasping, breathed in the dark scent of sweat. His weak voice warbled and desperate. There were so many places to touch, so many ways to make Genji react.  His throat was Jack’s favourite, the connection points on the back where his artificial spine attached made the other man squirm so beautifully.

 

He landed a kiss on his mouth instead for now, deeper than the time in the cell. Slow and probing, tasting every inch that he’d missed, memorizing every new hint. Genji was pliable in his arms, allowing the intrusion l like this was what he was meant for. He moved his kisses down, leaving Genji to gasp and whimper as he worked his way back to his original project. They’d lost a bit of traction, he’d have to really pick up the pace if he was going to get it back.

 

And from there, he worked orgasm after orgasm out of the beautiful man below him. He took advantage of every second of oversensitivity, pulling screams and senseless begging from Genji until he was an overstimulated wreck. Each one was followed by a blast of steam from the vents in his shoulders lit in a brilliant blue. Jack was good at this, it was his forte-- he remembered it so well, even after so long, exactly how long to wait, where to touch, what Genji’s limit was. He only stopped when the other man started to deflate, tense muscles going soft and pliant. He pulled away, wiping his mouth on the sheet and taking a chance to just brush his fingertips over Genji’s torso. The man whimpered, soft and light, a little quiver running through him. Jack hushed him, thumbs dusting over his ribcage; following the lines of the bone til he was met with the connection point of more synthetic enhancements.

 

He wished again in the back of his mind that he could see clearly, that he could look at him again just for a second, see that beautiful face as he slowly came back into himself from Jack’s gentle hands. He wanted to be able to look into Genji’s eyes again, thick and swirling like jasper. He settled instead for kissing him, because if he thought about it too much he’d drive himself mad. So he kissed and caressed until Genji’s skin came back to life. His fingers moved up Jack’s arms and down his back, his mouth responding more urgently to the kisses.

 

He hadn’t expected Genji to roll him, but there he was, suddenly on his back with that lithe form perched on top of him like a cat.  _ Or a sparrowhawk,  _ his mind supplied the nickname in an instant and his chest ached. He planted his hands high up on Genji’s thighs, rubbing his thumbs back and forth over the synthetic fibers.

 

“Don’t want you doing all the work. That wouldn’t be fair,” he purred, that white flash of a smirk across his face the only warning before Jack felt hot, wet pressure against his aching cock. The desperate groan that escaped him was involuntary, coaxed out of his chest before he could stop it. Genji’s hips ground down, and he was completely at the other man’s mercy.

 

“Oh, I missed the faces you make…” For having had as many orgasms as he had so far tonight, Genji’s voice was remarkably steady. He bent, pushing his pretty face up under Jack’s chin to drag his sharp teeth across the sensitive skin there. Jack could feel his hot breath coming in faster and greedier, his hips working a little harder. He was leaving marks, dark bruises with his teeth and his tongue as he keened into Jack’s throat.

 

He couldn’t let him keep going, he could already feel the orgasm welling low in his stomach-- out of practice, he guessed. He took Genji by his hips with bruising force, and the other man gasped sharply and  _ whined _ . Jack felt his soaked cunt pulse, desperate for more attention, but Jack held him very still while he caught his  breath; he needed to drag himself back from the brink, he didn’t want this to end too soon.

 

“Shh, sh sh… I know,” he could hear the growl in his own voice even as he tried to soothe the writhing man in his lap. “I want it to last… you’ll make me cum if you keep at it like that.” He sat up, deciding it was his turn to leave some nice bruises on all that pearly skin. He tasted his sweat, dragging his tongue through it and savoring the salt against the taste of Genji’s skin. He bit hard on the tender piece of his throat, the cry it caused making his cock pulse. He sucked hard, laving his tongue over the damaged skin lovingly.

 

“Jack, please….” There it was, the begging. He’d been waiting for it, Genji’s broken voice desperately asking him for what he needed. He took his cue and used his grip on Genji’s hips to roll them again. he knelt between the other man’s thighs, looking down at the blur of blue and black with smatterings of beautiful skin.

 

“I wish I could see you properly.” The words came before he could stop them, that welling ache in his chest flaring up once again. So many ways he’d seen Genji before, and now it was just shapes. Genji’s attention snapped sharply, clarity coming to him at Jack’s moment of distress.

 

“You can, Jack.” His shaking voice cooed, his hands landing on Jack’s and dragging them up his stomach and over his chest. He let out a shuddering breath at the attention before speaking again. “Use your hands, use your mouth. You do not have to see with your eyes to see me.”

 

Jack dove. He dragged his hands over every inch of Genji he could reach, his mouth on his throat or conquering the other man’s lips. Genji  _ giggled _ at Jack’s sudden eager energy, but it dissolved quickly into bright moans and cries for more.

 

He waited, just a little longer, to pull back and reposition. Genji’s hips rolled, anticipation making him desperate. His fingers moved quickly between his legs, pulling his bright, slick lips open so Jack could ease inside. The heat was absolutely overwhelming, after so long without it. Jack’s whole body shook as he sunk into him, encouraged by the gasping and desperate whines of  _ yes please more Jack. _

 

He had to hold Genji still again once he had fully seated himself, his cock throbbing and aching and  _ so ready. _ But Jack wasn’t, he needed this to last, and Genji’s squirming was not going to help. He kept Genji still where he was, full and shaking and needy as he teased over his throat with his tongue again, biting and sucking and lavishing as much attention on the other man as he possibly could to keep him sated until he could finally start fucking him  _ properly. _

 

Slowly, he dragged his cock back until just the head was still inside him, and then slammed back hard; the scream from Genji made him shake, encouraged by the new wave of broken pleading for more. Jack thrilled at the rising babbling of English and Japanese, jumbled in his desperation. This had always been his favourite part, fucking Genji til he couldn’t keep his languages straight anymore.

 

His pace stayed punishing, grip on Genji’s hips letting him control everything. It was all he’d wanted for so long, all he’d needed. It was hard to believe for a moment that it had been seven years, Genji’s body reacting to his so perfectly, just like it had before. He pushed his fingers harder into the skin of Genji’s strong hips, making the cyborg gasp and writhe against him. It only resulted in more sensation, a vicious cycle that was overwhelming him.

 

He sounded so small pinned under him, this man who was designed as a literal murder machine; lightning fast and deadly, keening high and at Jack’s absolute mercy. Willingly placed in this vulnerable position with no armor and his guard down. Is this how he was before? Is this how his brother was able to strike him down so thoroughly, so completely that it took a miracle to save him?

 

Jack leaned down, mouth pressing slower kisses to the soft, vulnerable skin of his throat. Open mouthed and wet, it was shameless self indulgence, Genji already lost to sensation. He knew the man didn’t need protecting now, but if there was anything Jack knew he could do, anything in his life he was sure he could accomplish, it was keeping him safe.

 

He was dragged out of his thoughts by Genji’s hands digging into his hair, pulling him tight while long synthetic legs wrapped around his waist. He was so close, he could feel the clench of his tight cunt trying to keep him there, keep him inside, just a little more. So Jack gave everything he could, his hips snapping at a brutal pace, angling Genji just the way he knew would send him skyward.

 

It ended in screaming and steam. The vents in his shoulders released and his voice went with the clouds, the hot gush of fluid was more of a surprise than Jack had expected, feeling it against his stomach and down his thighs as he worked his own orgasm out. Genji was still crying, begging, his voice broken and desperate and needier than Jack had ever heard it. Jack held him there where he was, his limbs still tightly wrapped around Jack as he emptied himself deep into Genji’s sweet body.

 

Another cry, something like relief as Jack moaned alongside him, mouth pressed against Genji’s throat as his hips stuttered and milked the last of his orgasm out. Genji’s arms stayed curled around Jack’s head, his legs falling lax over Jack’s thighs. Everything was quiet besides their slow, thick breathing as they took each other in, resting with everything that had occurred between the two of them. every shared memory they had coming together and making them both hold tighter. They couldn’t lose it all again; it had been too much the first time.

 

Jack kissed his skin, gentle and affectionate this time. One hand moved up his side, over his chest and along his neck to his face. He heard Genji giggle at the chosen affection, weak and breathy and tired. Jack smiled, and everything felt like it might actually be okay.

 

It took them some time to clean up, Jack insisting on another shower because waking up crusty and covered in Genji’s juices and his own sweat didn’t sound like such a grand plan. This time, Genji joined him, letting Jack wash his dark hair and give him more excuses to touch. Really, the man was still so insatiable-- he had no idea how he’d keep up, really, he’d barely been able to keep up when they were  _ both  _ young.

 

“When did your hair get so long? And it isn’t green anymore.” Jack couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed about that second point. He’d loved that bright green, it fit the playful man so well. He pushed his fingers through the wet strands now, rinsing it of conditioner.

 

“I’ve been away a long time, Jack. Not a lot of access to dye in the mountains of Nepal.” Genji laughed, “I thought long might suit me; I’ve never had long hair. I kept it short when I was young because Hanzo wore his long. Do you dislike it?” That coy smile teased across his scarred lips and Jack kissed them, his fingers brushing over start of a beard on his jaw.

 

“Of course not, it suits you. I wish I could see the style clearer- not that I know much about fashion. Your department, isn’t it?” Genji flicked his chest, and both of them laughed against each other’s mouths.

 

They fell back into bed after changing the well-soiled sheets. Genji had tied his wet hair into a careful knot at the back of his head, and both of them decided against clothes. Jack’s arms were around him in an instant, pressing his face to the scarred flesh of Genji’s chest. He listened closely to the man’s relaxed heartbeat, feeling his fingers slide gently over his spine.

 

They didn’t need words, not now. Falling asleep here felt so familiar, tucked into Genji’s chest; He listened to his heartbeat, felt the gentle thrum of his body against his fingertips. All the synthetic nerves firing, cooling system running like veins. He heard Genji whisper, but the words didn’t reach him. Darkness took him swiftly, and he slept soundly for the first time in seven years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some insight into my choices for Genji: i identify very highly with genji, and making him non-conforming seems like a very natural choice to me. I want everyone to understand that i am non-conforming myself, and my intent is NOT to fetishize Trans men with my portrayal of Genji. The man's a cyborg who can, honestly, make his own choices about his preference of genitalia and this is his mood at the moment-- it might change, it might not, and i want everyone to know he is not going to be stuck in the 'sub' category for the whole fic.  
> If you have any questions there's a link in the notes at the top to my tumblr, you're free to ask anything you'd like about this!!


	3. Your Ghost

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh boy you guys i am so sorry this is so late, my life got crazy right when i was meant to post it.
> 
> once again if you have any questions, criticisms, or praise for this fic please please comment or send me a message over on my [Tumblr](http://lacrimacorona.tumblr.com)!! also keep an eye out over there for updates about when i'm going to be posting a new chapter C: you can also listen to the playlist, which has a sneak peak of titles for each chapter and the themes they'll carry [Here](http://lacrimacorona.tumblr.com/post/152188904064/here-it-is-this-is-the-playlist-for-stones)!!

* * *

 

 _**'Cause all you left was your ghost** _  
_**And all of our memories** _  
_**And all of our memories** _  
_**Yeah, all you left was your ghost** _  
_**Here to haunt me** _  
_**Here to haunt me** _

 

* * *

 

Jesse could tell he was nervous, and he hated it.

 

They had to be up and ready in ten minutes, but the gunslinger was latched tightly to his side. He pressed kisses over Gabe’s neck, his collarbones, trying to coax the anxiety out of his bones. Always with his hands moving, resting in just the right places to make Gabe feel safe, against all odds.

 

He turned his head, pushing his face into the crown of Jesse’s head and rolling to catch him in his arms. He breathed, slow and deep while Jesse’s hands pressed into the tight muscles in his back. This vigilante threatened all of them, such a huge unknown in their midst who already showed he was capable of cold blooded murder, spies or otherwise. There was no proof he wasn’t here as a spy too, working his way close to Gabriel to take him out from the inside.

 

Genji trusted him, but Gabriel wasn’t ready to put everyone else at risk on the cyborg’s gut feeling. Especially Jesse, who was humming against his throat as if nothing was wrong, as if nothing was different.

 

He heaved a sigh and finally untangled them, despite Jesse’s protests for just a few more minutes in bed. “We’ve got work to do.” He didn’t mean it to sound so harsh, but he was wound so tight. Jesse understood, the smile that spread across his face like the sun told him everything. So perceptive, Jesse was a miracle.

 

“Yeah, yeah. You need a day off though, and if ya don’t take one soon I’m gonna lock you in here with me and _make_ you take one.” The gunslinger teased, and Gabriel laughed against the fabric of the shirt he was tugging over his head.

 

“That a promise?” He smirked back at Jesse, taking a moment to admire him as he stood from the bed.

 

Jesse was only a little smaller than he was. Bronze, sunkissed skin covered in smatterings of soft, thick hair. Slim and lean, muscles cut like marble. In the summer he got freckles across his cheeks and nose, over his shoulders and back and chest like stars. They blended into his dark skin, but they were there. Gabriel loved to trace them with his fingers at night, replacing them with the ones he remembered on Jack.

 

He gave Jesse a kiss just for thinking about Jack. The memory of him haunted Gabriel like nothing he’d ever experienced, rearing its head no matter what he did to forget. And the guilt came with it, like a knife between his ribs every time, twisting deep. He had Jesse. He had Jesse who was too good for him; he didn’t deserve a broken man still mourning-- what? A lost love? They hadn’t even been together when Jack had died. They hadn’t even been friends anymore when it happened.

 

But Jesse understood. He always did. Arms wrapped around him from behind, Jesse’s beard rubbing against the side of his neck as his lips touched Gabe’s ear. “Darlin’, you seriously gotta relax. It ain’t the end of the world. If he doesn’t work out, we’ll just toss him in jail, problem solved.” He felt Jesse shrug, and couldn’t help but sag back against the other man for a moment. He wasn’t wrong, damn him. He dreaded this briefing, introducing their new recruit to the rest of Overwatch. He really did wish he could just stay here with Jesse and let him kiss the tension away.

 

But they had work to do; there was always so much work to do.

 

Once they were finally dressed and Jesse had donned that awful hat, they walked together down to the briefing room. He’d called the meeting the day before, after he’d agreed to let this Soldier: 76 join their ranks.  He greeted their friends as warmly as he could despite everything feeling a bit crushing.

 

“Alright, everyone. Hopefully you read the briefing, we have a new recruit. We finally caught the bastard that’s been blowing up our old buildings and sneaking in here to kill the spies-- And promptly hired him. Don’t fuckin’ ask me why, I’m still trying to figure it out myself.” He held up his hand when the murmuring started, quieting everyone back down. “Shimada’s bringing him now. He says he was trying to help, but I’m not convinced. I want everyone to keep a close eye on this guy. My top priority is your safety. I won’t have him putting any of us in jeopardy. I want to hear about _any_ suspicious activity _immediately._ Understood?”

 

The chorus of ‘Yes, Sir!’s made him nod, and his eyes shot to the door when it beeped lightly. Always with his scary impeccable timing, Genji stepped in with the Soldier in tow. The man was dressed no differently than he had been when they caught him, his jacket still torn from the bullet he’d taken to the shoulder. They’d have to get that fixed if he was going to be a member of Overwatch’s core team.

 

There was the muttering again as Genji gingerly led the Soldier to his place at the table under Gabriel’s dark eyes. “Alright, Alright, relax. He won’t give us a name other than Soldier: 76, so I guess we’re calling him that,” he said sharply, feeling a pang of satisfaction when he saw the man deflate ever so slightly.

 

“What’s with the mask? Are you really going to keep that thing on the whole meeting?” Lena objected, her bright voice doing nothing to hide the wary, incredulous tone. Gabriel was about to speak up, but Genji beat him to it.

 

“It’s a vision aid. I know everyone is concerned about the Soldier’s involvement, given his past, but I would like to remind everyone, just as I reminded the Strike Commander, there are other members in this room who also have questionable pasts. Myself included. The Soldier is here because he wishes to help, and I hope we can make this place home for him the way you all did for myself and for Agent Mccree.” Damn that kid, eloquent as ever. Using Jesse as an example again made his skin prickle, but he left it.

 

“If you’re done with your speech, Shimada, we’ve got business to attend to.” His tone was edged, It wasn’t Genji’s job to defend the man. The Soldier could do it himself if he felt the need to speak up. Genji nodded to him, settling back in his chair. He saw the Soldier flinch, his head turning to look at Gabe. He could feel the daggers in his eyes behind that swath of red.

 

“We finally managed to catch wind of one of Talon’s smaller bases. We have to act fast if we want to take it out before they find out we know about it. I don’t want to lose this chance. We’ll be infiltrating and draining the base; we need to destroy any information contained inside.” He paused, eyes scanning the room slowly before he finished, “I’m going to be front-manning the mission, and I’m bringing the Soldier with me. You seem pretty keen on blowing up buildings, _pendejo,_ sounds perfect for you. I also want Shimada and Lena with me, Ana will be providing support.” Again with the muttering, everyone looking at him, questioning and confused.

 

“Anyone have any _useful_ objections? Or are we all just gonna mumble at each other ‘til something happens?” Gabriel spoke up quickly, crossing his arms over his chest. Lena, to no surprise, was the one who spoke up.

 

“Isn’t that a bit…dangerous? I mean, this is an important mission, he doesn’t know what he’s doing. We don’t even know if we can _trust_ him yet.” Lena was normally so positive, but the knowledge that spies were among their ranks had gotten to all of them. She looked warily over to the Soldier, and Gabriel hummed to acknowledge her.

 

“Sounds like the perfect chance for him to prove his worth then, doesn’t it? I’ll have three trusted agents with me, two of which he won’t be able to counter easily and one that can knock his ass out in case he decides to change his mind.” He looked pointedly at Genji. He needed the cyborg to understand this, that there should be no hesitation in the event that the Soldier betrayed them. He seemed so keen on 76 already and Gabriel really didn’t want that clouding his judgement.

 

If this vigilante was going to be a member of Overwatch he needed to learn their rules. He needed to prove he would be useful here, working with the team, not just out on his own. He finished up the briefing, informing the members of the mission that he’d have a second one with just them at 2 to go over the plan. He dismissed them and turned with Jesse to walk out.

 

Once they were out of earshot, Jesse linked his arm through Gabriel’s and hummed at him. “You’re bein’ pretty hard on him,” he observed, and Gabriel scoffed.

 

“What am I supposed to do? The guy won’t even give me his name, how--”

 

“Naw, not him. Shimada.” Oh. Leave it to Jesse to bring him down a peg. “I’m nervous about that guy bein’ around too, but that doesn’t mean we gotta give Genji shit for it. He’s committed to Overwatch. He ain’t gonna let that guy mess anything up.”

 

“He did leave for almost seven years,” Gabe shot back before he could stop it, and Jesse chuckled beside him. What was so funny about that? Genji had come back barely two months before they caught the Soldier, after just falling off the face of the earth.

 

“Yeah, Gabe, he was _mourning._ Just like the rest of us. But Genji’s a different kind, handles that stuff a little differently. He was dealin’ with a lot ‘a shit on top of Jack’s death. His life’s been a bit more hectic than ours, if I’m bein’ plain. I think outta anyone, he’s the one we better be trustin’ most right now.”

 

How on _earth_ was Jesse this perceptive? The way he read people was a little bit scary, sometimes. He lolled his head in a pseudo-nod, frustrated about admitting Jesse was, once again, right.

 

Instead of dragging the topic any further, the gunslinger shifted his arm around Gabe’s waist. He kissed the spot he knew Gabe liked just behind his ear, and smiled at him. “I’m starved. I say we grab some breakfast an’ try to work through that mountain of paperwork you got on your desk.”

 

Gabriel snorted, eyeing the other man. “How are _you_ going to help me with _my_ paperwork?”

 

“Moral support,” Jesse said definitively and grinned at Gabe, leaning on him to knock them both off kilter a little.

 

Just like that, his anxiety was quelled. They did exactly what Jesse suggested; breakfast and some strong coffee, working through some of the paperwork until Gabe needed to be at the mission briefing.

 

He stood, gathering the stack of briefings from his desk and swinging around it to where Jesse was leaning back in his chair. “Alright, I’m off.”

 

Jesse hummed, leaning up to meet him. His hands landed on Gabe’s face, holding it while Jesse kissed him with all the lazy warmth he had in him. It made him smile, feeling his confidence swell again where doubt had crept in. He’d made the right call, this would be good. Jesse seemed genuinely convinced and Gabriel trusted Jesse’s instincts even more than his own.

 

He left Jesse to snooze in his office, heading back to the briefing room to meet with the strike team. It was a small space, and Gabriel locked the door swiftly behind them. No interruptions, not with sensitive materials like this. He passed out the briefing packets as he went, Ana chuckling at him when he handed her’s over.

 

“We haven’t had paper briefings in quite awhile, Gabriel. What’s this for?” Her voice was warm, light. It eased Gabe even more, feeling her comfort in the room. The Soldier was silent in his place, frowning a little at the briefing. Oh, that’s right, the man was blind.

 

“I can’t trust sensitive material like this on our fragile system. I had it printed and then wiped, so it can’t be traced by Talon.” He saw Genji turn to look at him, no doubt to raise the object of 76’s blindness. “I know, Shimada. I’ll be going everything verbally as well, and if he has questions he can ask.” He nodded firmly and watched the cyborg relax again.

 

“I’m blind but I’m not deaf, can we stop talking about me like I’m not here?” The Soldier complained, but his voice was…surprisingly playful compared to the tone Gabriel was expecting. It made Genji laugh, and he even heard Ana chuckle.

 

“You got it, man.” He tried to keep his tone light against the memories that flooded his mind. A tidal wave of Jack’s snarky sense of humor in his quiet voice. He’d always been reserved, speaking when the time was right and always in well thought out sentences. Their posture was even similar, and it took hold of Gabriel’s lungs and squeezed.

 

“I cannot stress enough the seriousness of this mission. This is a Talon base, it’s small-- our information says it’s a data facility. If we get in and manage to wipe it we could deal a serious blow to their stranglehold on us.” He began, dragging the lump in his throat down and doing his damndest not to even look at the Soldier. “We’ve got a pretty crude map, it’s mostly vague level layouts. It’s not so different from our old facilities, and...” he paused, finally dragging his eyes back to that red visor. He let it ground him, such a stark contrast to the bright blue Jack’s eyes had been.

 

“I want you to give us as much information about where they were operating in those facilities. Where they held most of the data, if they moved it and to where; I need everything.” Gabriel’s voice was firm, and the Soldier nodded back at him.

 

“Well, in the old facilities Overwatch kept it’s systems pretty out in the open-- closer to the top floor. When I got in, Talon had shifted it all as low as they could put it. We’ll want to start low. They run tech that’s a lot more advanced than ours-- if we want to wipe it we won’t be able to do it with a memory stick. That’s why I had to blow them sky-high. If we wreck the powersource, it should take down their ability to transfer anything while they figure out what happened-- gives us a good window to find the mother of the system and kill it.” He spoke quick and firm, like he’d already thought this out. He spoke only to Gabriel, letting him take the information in.

 

“Will you know the mother system if you see it?” Gabriel asked quickly, a frown creasing his face.

 

“Mm, should. It’s usually the biggest piece, almost always tucked away by itself. Takes more power to run it, needs to be kept cooler than the rest.” The Soldier rolled his head back and forth, the familiar gesture nearly making Gabe flinch. “I can’t read the maps, but once we’re inside it shouldn’t take long for me to figure out where it is.”

 

“Good,” Gabriel put a little more force behind the word than he meant to, and cleared his throat. “Now then, let’s draft a plan.”

 

They set about putting together a careful plan of attack, the Soldier mostly quiet. He couldn’t read the map, it was no surprise he didn’t have much input. He only spoke up to make little corrections about formation, and as much as Gabe hated it the man was right. Despite his vigilante background he was good at this.

 

_Just like Him._

 

Gabe brushed the thought back hard. He didn’t have time, not right now. They finished out the briefing after Gabriel told them to be back here in two hours. They’d be taking off tonight to complete the mission.

 

He watched the Soldier leave with Genji, staring at that number on his back and choking on thickness of the air that filled his lungs. He was like a ghost given shape by all the memories that haunted this place. God, it was awful. Having to watch him do things He did, listen to him speak with Jack’s quiet voice through time.

 

He took solace in his office with Jesse again. Damn that gunslinger and his sharp eye, knowing exactly what was running through his mind.

 

“Reminds you of Him, doesn’t he?” Jesse’s words struck hard, and he thought the air would leave his chest. “Me too. It’s uncanny, he moves just like him. All tight, like somethin’s about to reach outta the dark to grab him. C’mere.” Jesse slipped right up to him, moving with a grace he really had no right to bare. “You can hurt, y’hear me? Let it hurt. If you keep bottlin’ it up like this you’ll blow.” His flesh hand was curling around the back of Gabriel’s neck, gripping that vulnerable place in a silent _I’ve got you._

 

“Yeah, yeah, I know. It’s just… it’s bizarre. Hard to get used to, but I’ll get there. The damn number on his back really doesn’t help.” He heaved a sigh, leaning forward into Jesse’s humming chest. He listened, felt his breathing and his heartbeat and Gabriel clung to it like a lifeline.

 

\-----

 

The shuttle to the base was a quiet ride. Genji and the Soldier sat close, talking in hushed words. They looked like they were flirting, it was hard to tell. Genji’s body language had changed so drastically since he’d come back from his soul-searching in Nepal. He was always open now, his voice always bright and playful and warm.

 

He envied the cyborg. Whatever he’d done after Jack died had healed him, and God Gabriel wished he could achieve it too. Peace, it was all he wanted. He wanted to lay Jack to rest. It had been seven years and still he was everywhere Gabriel looked. Even in complete strangers.

 

When they landed, Gabriel gathered them quickly. “Alright, everyone ready? We all remember the plan?” he asked, and watched everyone nod firmly. “Alright, team. Let’s get this thing done.”

 

Everything went smoothly in the beginning. Genji and Ana made quick work of the guards, clearing a path for them to infiltrate the facility. Getting through to the ground floors was a little trickier. The facility was small, densely packed, Talon agents everywhere they turned. It turned into a full-fledged fight before they could stop it.

 

He was barking orders. They needed to find the system center before Talon started backing up their information. The alarm blared in his head as he pushed forward, all of them following the Soldier’s lead.

 

“We have about ten minutes to get down there and knock the power. The generators should kick in in about four, which means we’ve got exactly zero time to fuck around finding the mother.” ‘76 shouted over the sounds of his pulse rifle, taking off at a head-on sprint down a flight of stairs after clearing the floor.

 

“We need to put a dent in their transfer time. Genji, Lena, Ana, you three head back up to cause a distraction. Buy us some time-- if they’re dealing with you they won’t be ready for us.” Gabriel pointed at the three of them, and watched Genji glance quickly to the Soldier before he took off with Ana and Lena.

 

“Just you and me, _pendejo._ Let’s go.”

 

The Soldier crashed through the door at the bottom of the stairs, met with another flood of Talon agents. They had three more levels to bust through, they couldn’t waste any time. ‘76 launched a helix rocket before Gabriel could even think of a way through the throng. It blasted back the agents and opened up a hole in the floor. “Bit faster, don’t you think?” the man turned to look at Gabriel, visor glowing bright.

 

They took their shortcut, shooting like mad men through the agents that got in their way. It put more of them on their tail, but they could fight through it later-- the objective was more important right now.

 

The system level was flooded with agents already, and the Soldier turned sharply to Gabriel. “You need to find the power box. This is too much information for my visor, can’t see properly. I’ll distract them,” his voice hissed through their coms, and Gabriel found his body moving without a second thought. He broke off from the Soldier who stood his ground against a throng of agents.

The shots were ringing behind him, the agents more worried about a face they recognized than they were about him. He had to find that power box.

 

The box was guarded, and Gabriel ripped through the agents like paper. The little explosive he planted blew a hole clean through it, and suddenly everything was black.

 

“Stay put, I’m going to find the Mother,” the voice over his com was labored and thick. Had the Soldier been injured?

 

“You doin alright, _pendejo?_ ” Gabriel asked quickly. He couldn’t have the mission resting on the shoulders of someone who couldn’t hold it up.

 

“Fine. You can’t see in the dark. I can. I’m going to find it, distract them if you can.” No, he definitely wasn’t fine. Gabriel could hear his lungs struggling.

 

“I’m comin’ after you, get on with it.” He ordered, swiftly spinning to spot that bright glow of red in the dark. He kept his head down, letting his eyes adjust to the dark; shapes of agents trying to catch their bearings against the blinding flash of ‘76’s rifle fire in the dark as the man searched for the right room. “Turn your damn head I’m throwing a flash bang,” Gabriel hissed into his com, and he waited for the red to disappear before chucking the little grenade forward and covering his own eyes as it went off.

 

He surged forward through the stunned crowd of stumbling agents, gripping the Soldier by his arm. The man flinched sharply, and Gabriel let go immediately. What on earth was that? He reacted like he’d been shocked.

 

“Let’s go, it’s this room.” The Soldier barked, moving forward and away from Gabe. He followed, shutting the door behind them just to give them even an instant of protection. “We’ll have to go through that crowd again once this is done, get the other three down here.”

 

“We need you three down to the base level as soon as possible, we’re surrounded. Objective secured, but we’re a bit sticky here.”Gabriel heard Genji’s quick affirmative before the shooting started. The door was being ripped apart, they didn’t have time. “You can see them, right?” Gabriel shouted.

 

“Yeah, I can see there’s too god damn many of them,” the Soldier barked back, already hard at work on planting the explosives around the mother system.

 

“Yeah, well, I can’t. I’m gonna blow this door off its hinges and you’re gonna to cover me, got it? We’re gonna to rush ‘em.” His plan was risky, but he heard the Soldier grunt immediately in confirmation. He placed the last explosive, handed over the activation switch to Gabriel before stepping ahead of him.

 

The point glow of the receivers on the planted bombs were enough to illuminate him, broad shoulders and awful jacket spattered with blood and torn in a few places. He had a wound in his leg, and his hair was stained at the temple from a deep gash. Gabriel steeled himself against the memory- Jack’s face open, blonde hair caked in dark blood.

 

He breathed in deep, and shot the hinges of the door. It crashed inward, and the Soldier shot his rockets the instant the steel was out of his way. They barreled forward, the Soldier keeping in front of Gabriel as he took care of the agents trying to flank them.

 

It wasn’t enough. They were being mobbed, he couldn’t keep up and neither could the Soldier. He felt the man push backwards against him, stopped by the agents doing their best to keep them from escaping. “When I’m done shooting, get in front of me and blow it.” He snarled into their coms, and Gabriel nearly screamed at him.

 

“You could be _killed_ , _pendejo!!”_

 

“The mission comes first. Do it!” He was right, god damn him, and it was their only choice. Gabriel hissed back but took the activator into his hand and crouched carefully behind the Soldier, ready for his cue. The words that came out of the man’s mouth stopped Gabriel’s heart in his chest, hearing the slow whirr of the pulse rifle gearing up.

 

_“I’ve got you in my sights”_

 

The charged aim assist engaged, lighting up the dark with a huge screen projected by the visor. He watched the agents drop like flies, each one hit dead on. It was like a dream, like a flashback; suddenly he was back in the field with Jack, facing a horde of omnics and Jack screaming.

 

_Get behind me!_

 

“Now!” the Soldier’s voice cut through his memory, and Gabriel dashed in front of him before his thumb landed hard on the activation switch. He felt arms drag him close before the two of them were blasted forward.

 

His ears were ringing, his head throbbing against the sound. The weight of the Soldier kept him down like a rock. “Hey, hey!” he called out, voice much louder than he heard it. The Soldier didn’t move and the panic that settled low in his chest spurred him forward like nothing else could. He grabbed the man by his shoulders, shaking him hard to try and wake him; Nothing.

 

A voice cut through the dizziness, Genji’s loud call and quick footsteps of their teammates. A warmth overtook him in an instant-- Ana’s biotic grenade. The weight of the Soldier was gone, and he was being hefted up onto his feet.

 

“Commander!! We took out a bunch of them-- oh, you’re a bit wobbly-- but it’s clear for now, we should hurry!” Lena’s voice was so far away, but he nodded feebly and shrugged her off. He could walk, they needed to go. Genji had the Soldier leaning against him, barely conscious, so Gabriel took his other side.

 

Mission accomplished.

 

\-------------------------------

 

Once they’d gotten back onto the shuttle and Gabriel’s ears had stopped ringing, he got a good look at the man who’d just risked his life for him. Genji had the Soldier’s head in his lap, keeping him awake while Ana worked to pinpoint heal his wounds. God, he’d been more torn up than Gabriel thought; more than he’d let on.

 

This stranger, a vigilante who days ago was a prisoner, had just risked his life to make sure Gabriel got out alive. Had been willing to give up his life to finish the mission, to make sure they _all_  survived.

 

He watched Genji’s fingers push through the Soldier’s hair like it was a path they knew by heart, and Gabriel finally let himself listen to Jesse’s words from earlier.

 

_Let it hurt._

 

_\---_

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone!! i want to warn you now this will be a multi/poly ship fic. There are lots of references to Suicide and death, so please keep an eye on these notes so you don't go in unprepared!! there will be warnings in the beginning of the chapters from here on out c:
> 
> Chapter 2 will be posted next week on tuesday, i'm going to try and keep myself on a schedule with these updates so i don't fall behind. [Follow me on tumblr](http://lacrimacorona.tumblr.com) to stay updated on my progress!!


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